Category Archives: NFL Film Study

The Lions are at a watershed moment in their team and front office development, meaning 2016 will prove to be a pivotal year that shapes the team for the near future. Dave Archibald, then, has decided to follow the Lions closely for the next four weeks to gain a better understanding of what is happening in Detroit. I…

Stifling defenses come in different shapes and sizes, but they can be all be beaten. Matty Brown shows how the blitzing Arizona Cardinals defense has an exploitable weakness in the short pass game. The Arizona Cardinals are one of the most blitz-happy teams in the league, having sent five or more rushers on 45.1% of plays last season. The…

The Tennessee Titans are implementing a run-heavy offense, but that doesn’t mean they lack weapons in the passing game. Sharona looks at the budding relationship of between wideout Tajae Sharpe and quarterback Marcus Mariota. After the Tennessee Titans used the phrase “Exotic Smashmouth” during the preseason it rapidly became a topic of conversation. A lesser-known storyline, but…

College football means wild scoring drives and hot prospects. Ryan Dukarm shows us both in breaking down Arizona State Sun Devils‘ Kalen Ballage’s 8 TD day. Eight touchdowns. In one game. Arizona State running back Kalen Ballage tied a Football Bowl Subdivision record against Texas Tech with eight all purpose touchdowns, seven on the ground and…

The New York Jets defensive line is an extremely talented unit, and many coaches would be satisfied having them pin their ears back and getting after the quarterback. That is not the type of coach New York has though. Jon Ledyard shows how Todd Bowles and the Jets defensive line were able to use stunts…

The Dallas Cowboys made a commitment to the ground game this offseason, and that decision seemed wise after a preseason injury. However, their rushing attack was unable to gain much traction. Patrick Conn explains why the Cowboys run game was stifled in Week 1 by the New York Giants. Going into the 2016 football season…

The Dallas Cowboys are without Tony Romo for the time being, and are relying on a rookie quarterback. That can be a scary proposition for some franchises, but the offensive line and running back situation of the Cowboys allows for some mistakes from under center. Joseph Ferraiola analyzes the Dak Prescott regular season debut in which the…

Punting statistics are one of the most misunderstood in football. The terms “gross punting average” and “net punting average” are thrown around as measures of punters’ abilities, when in reality, the picture is much more complicated. Both of those statistics are significantly impacted by field position, and also fail to take into account hang time…

Coming off an inconsistent preseason, Jimmy Garoppolo entered Week 1 of the NFL season with a tough assignment: facing the Arizona Cardinals defense. To the surprise of many, he exceeded expectations and put on an impressive performance. Dan Syed turns to the tape to see how the quarterback led the New England Patriots to victory. This…

After a devastating injury to starting QB Teddy Bridgewater, the Minnesota Vikings will be looking to rely on their running game and their stars on defense to return to the playoffs. Following a lackluster performance against the Tennessee Titans, the Vikings will turn to quarterback Sam Bradford to help improve the performance of Adrian Peterson. Before perhaps…

After being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, no one was sure when the North Dakota State product would make his debut, but a desperation trade by the Vikings made the picture much clearer. Mark Schofield analyzes the good and bad of the much-anticipated Carson Wentz debut. Carson Wentz made his NFL debut on Sunday against the…

The Tennessee Titans added tight end depth with the signing of Jace Amaro, who is coming off an injury plagued 2015 season. Sharona turns to Amaro’s tape to see if he has the traits to move up the depth chart and stick in the Titans’ Exotic Smashmouth offense. Coming out of Texas Tech in 2014,…

In his Sack Lunch series, Jon Ledyard looks at a particularly impressive pass-rushing performance from the past weekend’s games, highlighting techniques, moves, or athletic traits that brought each player success. In this installment, Jon looks at the special traits of DeMarcus Ware, highlighting a sack against the Carolina Panthers. If you’ve read any of my previous work on…

The defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos entered the 2016 season with a revamped offensive line, ready to take on the tough defenders of the AFC West. They enter the season looking to improve and allow fewer pressures and sacks compared to 2015, and will rely on new additions all across the line. Brandon Thorn once…

The San Francisco 49ers should improve over last year’s debacle of a season, in which they finished 5-11. New coach Chip Kelly is probably facing his last chance to try his no-huddle offense in the NFL. While this style is much-criticized for not managing the clock properly, it does provide some unique and interesting plays.…

Many teams rely on undrafted free agents to bolster the roster and add depth, or in certain instances step in as a starter. Ethan Young looks deeper at Seattle Seahawks UDFA offensive lineman, George Fant and the traits that he’s flashed this preseason. If you have followed my work for a while, you know I…